1. Resorts have been identified as a Roman legacy. Examine this link in more detail
and discuss other ways the ancient Roman Empire may have influenced current
travel and tourism.
The Romans were the first civilization to establish an organized government ruling over a
vast and united empire. As a result of government and organization, trade and exchange of
goods grew, road networks increased, sporting events sprung across the wide reaches of the
empire, and so did travel. During this time “people began travelling in large numbers for
government, commercial, educational, and religious purposes of both necessity and pleasure”
(Cook et al., 2018). As travel was a necessity for the wellbeing of the Roman empire; e.g.,
travelling for commerce, trade, or war, the Roman empire created an environment that was
travel friendly. For instance, the creation of roads and government ensured that people could
travel without fear of being attacked by rival legions or getting caught between the conflict of
warring tribes. This legacy of creating a travel-friendly atmosphere has been carried on to
modern day. Modern tourists can travel across the world without fear of prosecution or attack
because international law and bilateral agreements between governments assures tourists and
travelers safety and security.
The rate of travel and tourism also increased during the Roman era as the expanse of the
empire meant that Roman currency was acceptable across several cities and colonies. As
such, travelers and tourists could travel without the limitations of currency differences.
“Many of the hassles of travel to distant places were removed because Roman currency was
universally accepted” (Cook et al., 2018). Similarly, modern travel and tourism has adopted
this framework of organization to ensure that travelers (both business and leisure) can move
from one destination to another without the fear of currency differences. Yet the legacy of
common currency in Roman empire has not only been carried to present times in mediums of
transaction alone. In a larger scale it showed the importance of standardization. Presently,
travelers and tourists choose different destinations to visit with the assurance of a certain
level of standardization of services – for instance in resorts and hotels.
Although resorts (as they evolved from baths) were mainly built for the wealthy in the
Roman Empire, modern prosperity means that common travelers and tourists can also enjoy
the luxuries of resorts and tourism. Accordingly, the modern resorts and tourism industries
have had to customize them to fit prevailing needs of ordinary travelers. For instance, “in
Roman and medieval times the emphasis was on physical and spiritual health, later when
, resorts catered primarily to the wealthy elite the common strategy was to create oases of
luxury and tranquility” (Murphy, 2008). Today, on the other hand, resorts and tourism in
general has evolved to cater for the all classes of consumers. As it was “adopted by the
masses, the product emphasis changed to greater personal activity and entertainment”
(Murphy, 2008). Yet despite these changes, the constants of travel and tourism developed by
the Roman Empire – standardization, luxury in travel, legal frameworks for protection of
travelers and tourists – continue to influence current travel and tourism.
2. Why is environmental scanning particularly well suited to tourism management in
general and resorts in particular?
Environmental scanning is method for organizations, companies, and industries to
monitor and forecast internal and external forces in order to undertake critical and necessary
changes to survive and succeed in relevant market. In tourism management, environmental
scanning is particularly critical because the tourism industry is very volatile and highly
competitive. Important still is the fact that tourism and resort services are not basic services
or products. As such, the tourism industry is more susceptible to be affected by both internal
and external events such global pandemics, war, or financial crisis. Environmental scanning
is therefore well suited to tourism management because it helps players in the industry to
forecast the impact of external events within and without the industry and adjust their
strategies and plans accordingly. “It is these external forces which will often direct future
development and their implications must be understood and channeled to the benefit of the
business” (Murphy, 2008).
Because the tourism industry is highly susceptible to external forces, such as financial
crisis or pandemics, it is critical for players in the industry to associate their strategies with
the environment. This way they are able to position themselves to take advantage of
opportunities created by different events. Additionally, they are able to forecast events that
might affect their performance. Case in point, managers who associated their strategy with
the environment – and undertook environmental scanning - in early 2020 would have
foreseen the impacts of the pandemic – mainly looming travel, reduction of disposable
incomes, and low consumer confidence in travel - and adjusted their strategy accordingly. For
resorts, forecasting the impacts of a global event such as ongoing pandemic would help them
plan their investment properly so as to ensure they get the expected ROI. As Murphy (2008)
and discuss other ways the ancient Roman Empire may have influenced current
travel and tourism.
The Romans were the first civilization to establish an organized government ruling over a
vast and united empire. As a result of government and organization, trade and exchange of
goods grew, road networks increased, sporting events sprung across the wide reaches of the
empire, and so did travel. During this time “people began travelling in large numbers for
government, commercial, educational, and religious purposes of both necessity and pleasure”
(Cook et al., 2018). As travel was a necessity for the wellbeing of the Roman empire; e.g.,
travelling for commerce, trade, or war, the Roman empire created an environment that was
travel friendly. For instance, the creation of roads and government ensured that people could
travel without fear of being attacked by rival legions or getting caught between the conflict of
warring tribes. This legacy of creating a travel-friendly atmosphere has been carried on to
modern day. Modern tourists can travel across the world without fear of prosecution or attack
because international law and bilateral agreements between governments assures tourists and
travelers safety and security.
The rate of travel and tourism also increased during the Roman era as the expanse of the
empire meant that Roman currency was acceptable across several cities and colonies. As
such, travelers and tourists could travel without the limitations of currency differences.
“Many of the hassles of travel to distant places were removed because Roman currency was
universally accepted” (Cook et al., 2018). Similarly, modern travel and tourism has adopted
this framework of organization to ensure that travelers (both business and leisure) can move
from one destination to another without the fear of currency differences. Yet the legacy of
common currency in Roman empire has not only been carried to present times in mediums of
transaction alone. In a larger scale it showed the importance of standardization. Presently,
travelers and tourists choose different destinations to visit with the assurance of a certain
level of standardization of services – for instance in resorts and hotels.
Although resorts (as they evolved from baths) were mainly built for the wealthy in the
Roman Empire, modern prosperity means that common travelers and tourists can also enjoy
the luxuries of resorts and tourism. Accordingly, the modern resorts and tourism industries
have had to customize them to fit prevailing needs of ordinary travelers. For instance, “in
Roman and medieval times the emphasis was on physical and spiritual health, later when
, resorts catered primarily to the wealthy elite the common strategy was to create oases of
luxury and tranquility” (Murphy, 2008). Today, on the other hand, resorts and tourism in
general has evolved to cater for the all classes of consumers. As it was “adopted by the
masses, the product emphasis changed to greater personal activity and entertainment”
(Murphy, 2008). Yet despite these changes, the constants of travel and tourism developed by
the Roman Empire – standardization, luxury in travel, legal frameworks for protection of
travelers and tourists – continue to influence current travel and tourism.
2. Why is environmental scanning particularly well suited to tourism management in
general and resorts in particular?
Environmental scanning is method for organizations, companies, and industries to
monitor and forecast internal and external forces in order to undertake critical and necessary
changes to survive and succeed in relevant market. In tourism management, environmental
scanning is particularly critical because the tourism industry is very volatile and highly
competitive. Important still is the fact that tourism and resort services are not basic services
or products. As such, the tourism industry is more susceptible to be affected by both internal
and external events such global pandemics, war, or financial crisis. Environmental scanning
is therefore well suited to tourism management because it helps players in the industry to
forecast the impact of external events within and without the industry and adjust their
strategies and plans accordingly. “It is these external forces which will often direct future
development and their implications must be understood and channeled to the benefit of the
business” (Murphy, 2008).
Because the tourism industry is highly susceptible to external forces, such as financial
crisis or pandemics, it is critical for players in the industry to associate their strategies with
the environment. This way they are able to position themselves to take advantage of
opportunities created by different events. Additionally, they are able to forecast events that
might affect their performance. Case in point, managers who associated their strategy with
the environment – and undertook environmental scanning - in early 2020 would have
foreseen the impacts of the pandemic – mainly looming travel, reduction of disposable
incomes, and low consumer confidence in travel - and adjusted their strategy accordingly. For
resorts, forecasting the impacts of a global event such as ongoing pandemic would help them
plan their investment properly so as to ensure they get the expected ROI. As Murphy (2008)
